Gen 3 CX-5: Owners Chime In

[Snake]

I am just quoting the specs of each car. There can't be that much difference. It's the same body as before, just stretched. You have a 24 Cx-5 correct? How about you measure from the top of your head to the roof in both cars. And from your hip to the door? According to everything I have read, the front passenger area didn't change. They added all the space to the rear seats and cargo area. The new one is very slightly wider and taller (~1/2") so it can't be significantly different. I am sure the layout makes it "seem" bigger but the passenger volume in front has to be almost identical. The total interior passenger volume is 104 cubic feet on a 25 and 106.5 cubic feet on a 26.

They lowered the seats in the back of the Gen 3. A tiny bit, not a huge amount and I think they also shortened the rear seat bottoms from front to rear. All of that combined with a stretched cabin will create more room but this isn't just a little bit of extra room, this is night and day difference. Even with a tall person having set the front seat back to accommodate his/her giraffe legs, there is generous space to keep your knees away from the front seat back. I'm a girly man (size Medium) so having the front seats forward to accommodate my medium height creates even more space back there. More than my class leading (of the time) ex-Gen 5 CRV.

I don't think that I mentioned that my new Gen 3 replaced a Gen 5 CRV. Yeah, it's that good, for my needs, anyway.

 

[ruthrj]

I'm a [refined gentleman] (size Medium) so

Fixed that for you

 

[chickdr]

They lowered the seats in the back of the Gen 3. A tiny bit, not a huge amount and I think they also shortened the rear seat bottoms from front to rear. All of that combined with a stretched cabin will create more room but this isn't just a little bit of extra room, this is night and day difference. Even with a tall person having set the front seat back to accommodate his/her giraffe legs, there is generous space to keep your knees away from the front seat back. I'm a girly man (size Medium) so having the front seats forward to accommodate my medium height creates even more space back there. More than my class leading (of the time) ex-Gen 5 CRV.

I don't think that I mentioned that my new Gen 3 replaced a Gen 5 CRV. Yeah, it's that good, for my needs, anyway.

Not trying to argue, it just doesn't make sense. The rear seat, I get. They added 2.5" to the rear area, which is a lot (the specs below seem off in that regard as they only show 0.3" added legroom for the 26 while shoulder room is up 0.8"). The headroom is where I question you as the specs show the two cars are within 1/2" of each other. If these numbers are wrong, please post another site. It would be nice if Mazda would release a document comparing the 25 and 26 interior space.

From Edmunds.com

2025 Front seat:

Front head room	39.3 in.
Front leg room	41.0 in.
Front shoulder room	57.1 in.

Front hip room	55.2 in.

2026 Front seat:

Front head room	39.2 in.
Front leg room	41.7 in.
Front shoulder room	57.6 in.

Front hip room	55.2 in.

2025 Rear seat:

Rear head room	39.0 in.
Rear leg room	39.6 in.
Rear shoulder room	54.8 in.

Rear hip room	55.3 in.

2026 Rear seat:

Rear head room	39.1 in.
Rear leg room	39.9 in.
Rear shoulder room	55.6 in.

Rear hip room	55.4 in.

2025 cargo capacity:
30.8 ft3

2026 cargo capacity:
33.7 ft3

 

[Snake]

Not trying to argue, it just doesn't make sense. The rear seat, I get. They added 2.5" to the rear area, which is a lot (the specs below seem off in that regard as they only show 0.3" added legroom for the 26 while shoulder room is up 0.8"). The headroom is where I question you as the specs show the two cars are within 1/2" of each other. If these numbers are wrong, please post another site. It would be nice if Mazda would release a document comparing the 25 and 26 interior space.

From Edmunds.com

2025 Front seat:

Front head room	39.3 in.
Front leg room	41.0 in.
Front shoulder room	57.1 in.

Front hip room	55.2 in.

2026 Front seat:

Front head room	39.2 in.
Front leg room	41.7 in.
Front shoulder room	57.6 in.

Front hip room	55.2 in.

2025 Rear seat:

Rear head room	39.0 in.
Rear leg room	39.6 in.
Rear shoulder room	54.8 in.

Rear hip room	55.3 in.

2026 Rear seat:

Rear head room	39.1 in.
Rear leg room	39.9 in.
Rear shoulder room	55.6 in.

Rear hip room	55.4 in.

2025 cargo capacity:
30.8 ft3

2026 cargo capacity:
33.7 ft3

The seated position is slightly lower to the floor. If you are seated lower in a vehicle, the headroom improves. IMO, from a driver's perspective, a slightly lower seated position makes a vehicle feel a little sportier and less like a family grocery getter.

I'm not a tall person so headroom was never a concern in either of our 5s. I would say that the dimensions of the driver side front are about the same. However, the passenger side front has a wider floor space.

 

[chickdr]

You say "slightly lower to the floor", but the seats are height adjustable right? My 21 GT Reserve had height adjustments on both front seats.

 

[Snake]

You say "slightly lower to the floor", but the seats are height adjustable right? My 21 GT Reserve had height adjustments on both front seats.

Yes slightly lower to the floor compared to our Gen 2. And yes, height adjustable.

 

[cz5gt]

folks for those interested, go and sit in one. You will experience what we did. Thats the only way to explain it... I did that and quite like the driver seat and comfort in the front.

 

[chickdr]

I don't doubt it "feels" bigger. The question is, do the numbers back it up? It is like someone saying their car feels faster after adding a CAI, or cat-back exhaust. It may sound faster, but it is not likely to be faster.

Question? Do you have the tan interior? They didn't have that in the older gen so if you have black in a Gen 2 and tan in a gen 3, I suspect it would feel bigger due to the lighter color and more airy feel.